Cheat Sheet · Graduate & Business School Admissions

GMAT Cheat Sheet

advanced

A free GMAT Focus Edition cheat sheet: the three sections, their question types, the 205-805 scoring, the bookmark-and-edit rules and quick tactics for each section.

By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-06-08

A final-revision summary of the GMAT Focus Edition. Study aid only; confirm current rules on mba.com.

The three sections

SectionQuestionsTimeQuestion typesCalculator
Quantitative Reasoning2145 minProblem SolvingNo
Verbal Reasoning2345 minReading Comprehension, Critical ReasoningNo
Data Insights2045 minData Sufficiency, Multi-Source, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Two-PartYes

Total: 64 questions, ~2 hours 15 minutes, one optional 10-minute break. You choose the section order.

Scoring at a glance

ItemDetail
Total Score205-805 (all end in 5)
Section scores60-90, each weighted equally
Pass markNone - target depends on your schools
Validity5 years
EditsBookmark freely; edit up to 3 answers per section
Old scale warning205-805 does not equal the retired 200-800 scale

Quick tactics

  • Quant: estimate before you compute; re-read the final sentence so you answer what is asked; legible working prevents careless slips.
  • Verbal (RC): read for structure and the author’s purpose, not detail; answer from the text, not outside knowledge.
  • Verbal (CR): read the question stem first; separate conclusion from evidence; to weaken, break the link or offer an alternative cause.
  • Data Insights (DS): decide whether the statements are enough - do not solve fully; test each statement alone, then together.
  • Data Insights (integrated): locate the specific figure a question needs; sort tables; read axes precisely; the calculator is there if you need it.

Reminders

There is no separate “MBA exam” - the GMAT is it. Set a target from your schools’ ranges. Practise full-length and timed before test day. Use the bookmark-and-edit tool on your hardest flagged items, not everything.

FAQ

Can I take notes into the GMAT?
No. The GMAT is proctored and you write only on the provided materials (a noteboard at a test centre, or an approved whiteboard online). Use this sheet for final revision before test day only.

Sources